Sun Red Sky Blue
by tearsofamiko
Summary: Summer of Love challenge ficlet for jim and bones, inspiration: playing around with a camera in the backyard.


Title: Sun Red Sky Blue

Author: Tearsofamiko

Character(s): Jim Kirk / Leonard McCoy, Joanna McCoy

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I own nothing about _Star Trek (2009)_, its characters or plotlines, including any recognizable dialogue.

Summary: Summer of Love challenge ficlet for jim_and_bones, inspiration: DD&C pictures on Wednesday, August 4.

.:::.

"C'mon, Cap'n Jim! Smile!" Joanna pleads around a huge smile, a battered holo-camera clasped in her hands as she practically dances in place in front of Jim. Hiding a smile behind his hand, Leonard watches his daughter and captain interact, enjoying Jim's fond patience and Joanna's innocent happiness. Almost makes him forget this is their last full day of shore leave.

The camera flickers again, it's little shutter sound somehow almost echoing despite being outside under pure blue sky, cicadas buzzing lazily in the nearby trees. Leonard lounges on the picnic table, one elbow planted on the tabletop and his fist against his mouth, eyes closed as he soaks in the sounds and scents of Georgia, enough to last him until the next time. Who knows when their next shore leave'll be, let alone when they'll have enough time to get back to Earth. The thought throws a gray pall over the day, so he shoves it away, opening his eyes to watch the two most important people in his life as they play in the yard.

"_Cap'n Jim!"_ Jo whines, stomping one foot petulantly, mood dangerously close to shifting away from playful to truly ten-year-old annoyed. Which is, of course, exactly when Jim swoops in and slings her over his shoulder, jogging lightly around the yard as she squeals, the camera landing with a clatter on the ground.

Leonard laughs at their antics, diving for the camera and snapping a quick few pictures – Jim's shining blue eyes; Joanna's face, upside and red from laughter; both of them together as Jim starts to lower her back to her feet, her smile reflecting his grin as she clings to his shoulders. The sight of that last image ignites an ache in Leonard's chest, takes his breath away as he sees how well matched his daughter and lover are, how at ease they are with each other. It's nice to know Jim will have someone back on Earth, in case something happens to Leonard out in the black.

"Daddy, lookit the butterflies!" Jo calls as she runs over, tugging on his arm and pointing. "Can I take pictures of 'em?" she asks, hazel eyes huge as she stares pleadingly up at him.

"A few, okay, darlin'?" She hugs his knees when he hands her the camera, laughing as he tweaks a pigtail and lightly swats her rear to send her off to play. Jim wanders over, brushing a few stray pieces of grass off his ratty t-shirt, and wraps his arms around Leonard's waist, resting his chin on Leonard's shoulder to watch Jo and speak directly into his ear.

"I saw you, y'know," he mutters, pressing a kiss under Leonard's ear.

"Hmm?" He tilts his head slightly, turning the bulk of his attention to Jim even as he keeps his eyes on his daughter.

"Lookin' all sad and resigned over here." Jim's arms tighten around him and his chin digs into Leonard's shoulder, almost uncomfortable but not enough to make him move. "It's gonna be fine, Bones. Nothin's gonna happen to us. We'll both come back to Georgia, spend another shore leave here or settle in for the long haul. It'll be fine."

"You can't promise that, Jim," he forces out around the lump in his throat. Damn, he didn't want to do this today, didn't want their last day here to be sad after such an idyllic vacation. "You know as well as I do what could happen up there; you've written enough letters to families that promised each other the same thing. There are no guarantees."

"Bones," Jim says, a thread of stubborn determination running through his hushed voice as he tries to turn Leonard around to fully face him. "_Bones_, it will be _fine_. I promise you, I will make sure you come back."

"Jim-"

"_No._ Nothing is more important to you than Joanna and nothing is more important to me than _you_. I've got you, okay, Bones? I'll make sure nothing happens to you," Jim mutters into the curve of Leonard's neck, hair soft against Leonard's ear and arms cinched tight around him. "Nothing'll happen."

"Okay, Jim," he sighs, the sound of Joanna's lightly hummed 'la, la, las' drifting back to them on the warm breeze as she chases butterflies around the yard. "Okay."


End file.
